Can palletizing machine



Oct. 28, 1958 M. BAINBRIDGE CAN PALLETIZING MACHINE:

6 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 8, 1953 Oct. 28, 1958 M. BAINBRIDGE CAN PALLETIZING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 8, 1955 BB. 58 /44 l Oct. 28, 14958 M. BAINBRIDGE CAN PALLETIZING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June a, '1955 E 5 uw, Tl

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CAN PALLETIZING MACHINE Filed June 8, `1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. MPV//V BANNER/DGE BY im@ Oct. 28, 1958 M. BAINBRIDGE CAN PALLETIZING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 8. 1953 United States Patent O .E si.

CAN PALLETIZING MACHINE Marvin Bainbridge, Kahului, Territory of Hawaii, as-

signor to Maui Pineapple Company, Ltd., Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, a corporation of Hawaii Application June 8, 1953, Serial No. 360,059

8 Claims. (Cl. 198-34) This invention relates to a can palletizing machine.

An object of this invention is to provide a machine wherein cans are arranged in a nested pattern thereby increasing the number of cans that may be stored on a pallet.

A further object of this invention is' to provide a machine wherein cans are fed to the machine, arranged in a nested pattern, removed from the machine and positioned upon a pallet in a substantially continuous operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a machine which will require a minimum of effort and operation on behalf of the operator.

Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent from the following description:

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a can palletizing machine embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a section taken along line 2 2 of Figure 1 illustrating the palletizing section of the machine.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the can pattern forming section of the machine.

Figure 4 is a section taken along line 4 4 of Figure 1 illustrating the pattern removing portion of the machine with a portion thereof broken away.

Figure 5 is a section taken along line 5 5 of Figures l and 6 illustrating a pattern forming mechanism.

Figure 6 is a section taken along line 6 6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the pattern forming mechanism adjustment bracket.

Figure 8 is a section taken along line 8 8 of Figure 4.

Figure 9 is a section taken along line 9 9 of Figure 4.

Figure 10` is `a section taken along line 10-10 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a section taken along line 11 11 of Figure 4.

Figure 12 is a section taken along line 12 12 of Fig ure 4.

Figure 13 isa section taken along line 13 13 of Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a diagrammatic plan view of the pattern forming with the nested pattern forming stage full.

Figure 15 is a diagrammatic plan view of the pattern forming after a nested pattern has been removed from the forming stage. j

Figure 16 is a diagrammatic plan view of the pattern forming during formation of a new nested pattern.

Referring now tothe drawings and particularly Figure l. YThe cans are delivered onto the pattern forming portion of the machine generally designated A from suitable conveyors B.

Only the discharge end of the conveyors are illustrated as any form of conveyor may be utilized such as a moving belt delivering the cans in single tile upright position. Two suchdischarges are illustrated although the number may of course vary.

As the cans are fed onto the pattern forming portion they are advanced by a conveyor and. a nested pattern thereof is formed. This nested pattern is then dclivered to a transfer mechanism C. The transfer mechanism removes the nested pattern from the pattern forming portion A and delivers it to a pallet loading station D. The nested pattern of cans is then placed upon the pallet and released. In this manner layer upon layer of cans are stacked with a sheet of paper between each layer, if desired, until the pallet is loaded to the desired amount. The pallet load of cans is then removed for storage.

As previously described, the conveyors B deliver the cans in single file in an upright position upon the conveyor 20 of the pattern forming section A The conveyor in this embodiment is the conventional flat top chain type although similar conveyors well known to those skilled in the art, may be substituted. Such conveyor should have a low coeiciency of friction against the cans.

The upper surface of the conveyor is supported by suitable wear strips 21 which in turn are mounted upon channel members 23 mounted upon the side plates 32 and 34.

The conveyor chains form a horizontal surface and are looped over sprockets 22 and 24 at each end. The sprockets are mounted upon shafts 26 and 2B which shafts are rotatably supported between suitable bearings 30 at` each extremity thereof. The bearings are mounted in side plates 32 and 34 of rectangular frame 36, which frame is :supported by legs 38 above floor 40.

The motor 42 is suitably mounted on the frame and through reduction box 44 drives a sprocket 46. Trained around sprocket 46 is an endless chain 48, which is trained about sprocket 50 mounted upon shaft 26. Thus motor 42 through chain 48 drives shaft 26 and sprockets 22. The conveyor 20 is driven by sprockets 22Ywith sprockets 24 acting as idlers.

A chain tightening idler 51 may be provided to take up the slack in chain 48. Also, the idlerl sprockets 24 may be adjusted for the same purpose. j

`Thus as the cans are delivered by conveyors B onto the chain conveyor 20 they are advanced to the left in Figure l.

The movement of the cans is interrupted during their progress to form a nested pattern of cans. This interruption is caused by pattern former 52. The pattern former in this embodiment is an angle iron having a plurality of pins 54 spaced along its lower surface. The pins are spaced from one another with center distances exactly equal to the width of the cans. When the pattern former 52 is in its lowered position the pins project a suliicient distance downwardly into the path of the cans arresting the progress of the cans.

The pattern former 52 is mounted at each extremity upon a shaft such as 56 by suitable nuts. The shaft 56 is upported for vertical movement in sleeve 58 mounted upon side plate 32 by means of bracket 60. Sleeve 58 is slotted as at 62 to receive block 64, which block is secured to shaft 56, and guides the vertical .movement of the shaft.

The shaft 56 carries a cam follower 66 at its lower extremity which is in contact with double acting cam 68. The cam is mounted upon shaft which is jour-- nalled in suitable bearings in side plates 32 and 34. The cam is formed of an inner segment 72 and an outer segment 74 which between them form a cam track so that as shaft 70 is rotated the cam follower 66 and hence pattern former 52 is raised and lowered. A suitable handle 76 is attached to shaft 70 to permit manual rotation thereof. The pattern former is lowered and the cans carried. by conveyor 20 are stopped by pins 54 until a nested pattern of cans is formed. The cans form a line parallel .to the pattern former 52 with a ,second line 9i cans als? t v 3 parallel with the pattern Y former, but staggered with respec-t to the vr'st line of cans, and so on, as seen in Figures 14, 15 and 16, thereby positioning a maximum numbergof cans withinga given area. After the cans have filled the area between the pattern former 52 and the c anarrester V78 the pattern former israised and the can 'arresterk lowered permitting the nested pattern of cans to be advanced bytheuconveyor.

Thecan arrester 78 is identieal to the pattern former and` lierlrce,y will not be described in detail. Each of the shaft 70 of thelp'ttrn forming mechanism and shaft 80 of the can arresting mechanism carries a sprocket such ars 82. A chain 84 is trained over these sprockets and idler sprocket 85 `so thatifhhandle 76 on shaft 7) or a svurfilaij handle 86 on shaft 80 'is rotated both shafts are rotated, rotating the cam 6 8 to raise or lower the pattern forming mechanism and/ the corresponding cam of the can aliresfirfg in ech'arrism.A VThe cams are formed so that when thepattern foriner 2 israised the canarrester 78 isflowe ed and 'vi'ce versa and the cams are ,also formed to insure `vthat Athe can arrester 78 is completely lowered beforethe pattern former 52 is raised, l Y

` "stabilizing 'roller 88 -is positioned behind the pattern'forinr y52 with'fr'espectto =the path `of movement of the cris'to'preventithe cans raising or being injured when the patternforming member is raised. This stabilizing roller is sippi'fte'd "at eachend 'by a bracket 90, which bracketis bolted tofa -second br'acketj92 which in vturn is bolted l a Handel YIne'1I1/b`ev1 l23. The bracket 90 has hrz'otaleliigated.holes and 96 `through which the bolts "s'cu'ing it to bracket "92 pass, ythereby permitting horizontal movement fof the roller lwith respect to the pattern forrer 5:2. The v roller'x'SS is 'mounted upon a shaft `9S Whliprjts through nayertica'l elongated slot 1 00 'and in'to a'blo'ck `102"and"is secu'red'therein by a pin '4. The 'block 2is ihorited upon ya bolt 106, the eX- trern'ities fof whi'ch'lprjctzthrough 'slots 108 of bracket 90 and 'have'l'lut's Ysu-ch as 'ulllo'sorewedd thereon. Thus by adjustmntf tle'nuts'thevertical position Vof the stabilizing roller is fixed. v

second "stabilizing ,roller 112 is inounted 'directly behindthe'c'an'arre" er 78in the saine 'mannerasroller 88 and for thesaniwpuijp'ose.

'Secured 'to b i et92fis 'a side 'guard 114 which is also welded or "wi's' secured tobrack'ets`1`16 mounted on channel members 23.V Aside guard 114 is mounted up'il each Lside 'ofjthe4 machine 'to' prevent cans falling i 'fthe fc oiipfveb'or '20 and fatle fend "of themachine an I Ikguard `1 18 is provided "whichterininte's r'n'ovement i ,l aridpsitis'tlie pattern belowtheftrnsfermehanis'm C `,upon "the frlaiile of the pattern Yforming machine Af"'areangl`e ir6nsf12) which a'ctias guides forftlietransfer'mechanism Thetraiisfer'rnechanism is mounted kupon a conventionaltrolley t'a'ck "1'2'2, and is raised or lowered by an ele'c't'ricV hoist. In this embodiment a manifold "of vacuum cups is illustrated although other'mans suchas magnets, well known to those skilled theart, may :be lsubstituted. Vacuum cups -1'24'are mounted in 'rows-on suitable headers 126, Which rows are "staggered*in the same Vmanner as the 'cans inthe nested pattern, with one vacuum cup foreach can in the pattern.

'itlsuitabl'e Vvacuum source -(not shown) is connected byahoselZSt'oaithreelway'valve A130. The valve 13@ isfconec't'ed-by-*a hose 13-2to a threeewayiheader cock 134. One --such'tlir`e'e`wayheader cock is provided for each "header f'1i2`6f a'nd" the co'cks are joined by'suita'ble pipes fandiwith 'e'a'chlie'a'der byLmean's of a hose such as 186. purpose l'of'th'e cocks 13'4 is vvtoe'nable the vacuiflineupmanifold t'o pick up'anyporti'on'of a full layeriby'fclsing th`e"c'oc'k immediately abve'the'la'st full f cwbfcans.k `This Yfeature is'often lused at tlieen'd of a run-dr ponchangirigto a'dier'entpack'item when a full layerl is not available.

When the three-wayvalve is in one position the headers are communicated with the vacuum source and when in a second position are vented to the atmosphere.

Catch means are carried by the frame of the vacuum cup hoist to engage the angle iron guides and thereby insure that the hoist is properly aligned with the nested pattern of cans. Catches 138 and 140 are urged outwardly by springs such as `142 and m'ovably supported between down-turned extremities of a bracket such as 144. The catches yare positioned by links 146and 148, which are connected `by links 150 and 152 to each v'ero treinity of lever 154, so that as lever 154 is rotated the catches are moved inwardly or outwardly. The lever 154 is positioned by means of handle 156 which is pivoted about shaft 153 which vsynchronizes the action of the catches with the operation of the three-way vacuum control Valve 13). The lever 154 is connected by links 160 and 162 to `shaft 164 upon which the lever 154 is mounted. T-hus when the vacuum fcuptr'ansfer mechanism is lowered by `actuating 'the electr-ic -hoist through switch166, the angle liron guides 1-20 are projected-into a suitable space in the frame and handle 156 is rotated to move spring catches 138 and 140 to the outer position to engage angle jiron guides 1-20 and insure that cups 124 are lowered in the proper relationship with Vrespect to the nested ypattern 'of cans. As the handle v156 is rotated in the opposite direction it actuates valve 130 :to communicate the vacuum source with -the Cups 124 and simultaneously depresses the spring catche'sf'138-and-140 and causes spring .catches v138A, and 140Ato protrude 7for cooperation with angle Yiron guides 120A.

The headers 126 are secured -by suitable brackets 4170 to a rectangular frame 172. The frame "L7-2 is =held'0n the hoist frarne V174 by bolts #V176 which epass 'through frame 172 and are screwed into frame 174. Suitable springs -178 urge the frame 172 .and headers126downl wardly while permitting them to raise relative to vthe hoist frame 174. In this manner'the cans which areupon the pattern forming conveyor 20 lare -not injured -u'pon contact with vacuum cups V124. Each vacuum fcup grasps a can in the pattern and the kelectric hoist :switch 166 is actuated to raise the transfer mechanism C.

At -the upper .position of the transfer `meehanisr'n it is caused -to move to the leftin Eig. 1,y 'eitherasa free rolling trolley or a powered trolley if desired. Y'1T-he switch 166 is again actuated to lowerthe transfermeehanis'm. Apair of catches correspondin-gto catchesd138and i140 on the rear side of the transfermechanism Iengageisuitable .guides v at'the end .of track 122, The -switch 166 -is actuated to lower the transfer mechanism.

The layer of nested cans carried by the conveyorfare a'ctuated'to vent'the vacuum cups 124 to the atmosphere, releasing the cans. The hoistis again raisedandreturnedto pick up'thenext nested pattern of cans formed in-the pattern forming mechanism A b etween the pattern former 52 and can arrester 78 and then releasedto move to a position beneath -the transfer mechanism.

'Between each successiveilayer of cans asheet of-paper may be positioned to bind thelayers together. T he layers are'suported upon a pallet 181. When apallet-hasisuflicient layers of cans a hydraulic ram 182-is actuatedto move thevloaded pallet from under the"transfer mechanism and replace it with an empty pallet.

In operation cans are `fed'tothe continuously Vmoving conveyor 20 in one or mor'elanes with the pattern former 52 loweredand can' arrester'78 raised. The cans then ll'the space betweenthe pattern'formerand canarrester in a nested relationship. The can arrester `is lowered and then the pattern'former is raised and the 'nested pattern or layer of Ycans is advancedto a-position below ythe'transfer'mechanism C. This mechanism is lowered onto the cans and the valve 130 actuate'dto communicate the vacuum cups 124 with the vacuum source. The nestedpatte'rn 0f cans is raised upon raising vof the-tiansfer mechanism and transferred to the pallet 181 and released.

While what hereinbefore has been described is the preferred embodiment of this invention it is readily apparent that alterations and modifications can be res orted to Without departing from the scope of this invention and such alterations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Iclaim:

l. A can palletizing machine comprising: a continuous conveyor upon which cans can be moved in any direction free from impediment and which comprises the sole moving force for such` cans, stop means including a plurality of pins spaced from one another a distance less than the width of such cans positioned above said conveyor and means successively feeding cans onto said conveyor which cans are carried against said pins and formed into a nested pattern of cans.

2. A can palletizing machine comprising: a continuous conveyor upon which cans can be moved in any direction free from impediment and which comprises the sole moving force for such cans, a side guard adjacent each side of said conveyor, stop means including a plurality of pins spaced from one another a distance less than the width of such cans positioned above said conveyor and means successively feeding cans onto said conveyor which cans are carried against said pins and formed into a nested pattern of cans.

3. A can palletizing machine comprising: a contnuous conveyor upon which cans can be moved in any direction free from impediment and which comprises the sole moving force for such cans, a side guard adjacent each side of said conveyor, primary stop means including a plurality of pins spaced apart less than the width of such cans, means feeding cans successively onto said conveyor, which cans are carried against said primary stop means and form a nested pattern between said side guards, secondary stop means positioned between said primary stop means and said feed means movable into position to prevent movement of cans to said primary stop means and said primary stop means being movable to permit the accumulated nested pattern of cans to pass beyond said primary stop means.

4. A can palletizing machine comprising: a continuous conveyor upon which cans can be moved in any direction free from impediment and which comprises the sole moving force for such cans, a side guard adjacent each side of said conveyor, adjustable primary stop means including a plurality of pins spaced from one another less than the width of such cans, means feeding cans successively onto said conveyor which cans are carried against said primary stop means, adjustable secondary #stop means positioned between said primary stop means and said feed means, means controlling the vertical position of both primary and secondary stop means so that when the secondary stop means are raised cans are stopped by said primary stop means and form a nested pattern between said side guards and said primary and secondary stop means, and when said control means lowers said secondary stop means to interrupt flow of cans said primary stop means are raised to permit the accumulated nested pattern of cans to advance on said conveyor.

5. A can palletizing machine comprising: a continuous conveyor upon which cans can be moved in any direction free from impediment and which comprises the sole moving force for such cans, means feeding cans onto said conveyor, vertically adjustable primary stop means including a plurality of pins spaced apart a distance less than the width of such cans, vertically adjustable secondary stop means between said feed means and said primary stop means, control means for said stops raising said secondary stop means and lowering said primary stop means so that cans engage saidpins and flll said conveyor between said stop means in a nested pattern, said control means lowering -said secondary stop means interrupting flow of cans on said conveyor and raising said primary stop means permitting the pattern of nested cans accumulated to advance on said conveyor.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5, wherein means are provided to permit said secondary stop means to be completely lowered before said primary stop means are raised.

7. A can palletizing machine comprising: a continuous can carrying conveyor upon which cans may be moved in any direction free from impediment and which comprises the sole moving force for such cans, a pair of pattern forming stop means each having a plurality of pins spaced apart a distance less than the width of said cans upon said conveyor positioned above said conveyor and means to alternately raise and lower said pattern forming stop means so that the cans will engage said pins to form and release a nested pattern of cans.

8. A can palletizing machine comprising: a continuous can carrying conveyor upon which cans may be moved in any direction free from impediment and which comprises the sole moving force for such cans, a. pair o'f pattern forming stop members each having a plurality of pins thereon positioned above said conveyor said pins being spaced from one another a distance less than the width of said cans on said conveyor, means to alternately raise and lower said pattern forming stop members so that cans on said members will engage said pins to form a nested pattern of can and means delaying the raising of the stop member furthest from the source of supply of cans until the other stop member has been lowered.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,709,189 Radtke Apr. 16, 1929 2,050,547 Thayer Aug. 11, 1936 2,571,790 Tomkins Oct. 16, 1951 2,581,742 Young Jan. 8, 1952 2,619,237 Socke Nov. 25, 1952 2,718,313 ONeil Sept. 2,0, 1955 

